Friday, March 16, 2018

✱✱ Book Review ✱✱ Guardian Unforgiven Tour and Giveaway


Guardian Unforgiven
Werewolves Awakened #1
by Nollen Bradley
Genre: Erotic Werewolf Thriller
403 pages

The werewolf, most believe to be folklore or legend. For centuries, the existence of werewolves were kept secret and guarded by a warrior class of lycan descended from a fierce ancient line known as the Guardians. These Guardians, sworn to uphold the peace between the wolf and humans. But, some werewolves not satisfied with living in secrecy start lashing out, hunting and killing all with the ancient gene to push humanity into extinction.

Now, only a few descendants are left with the cursed bloodline, some don’t even know they have… 


"I read the book one Saturday afternoon in about 3 1/2 hours straight. While I wanted to take a break, I found myself simply unable to put it down until reaching the end. ALL GOOD! Touché. Excellent story. Excellent plot…” Amazon Review July 4, 2017


"There are a lot of great action sequences throughout the book, and each chapter builds upon the last. The author does a great job with setting the scene and describing the characters in the story, it was like watching a movie in my head…” Amazon Review June 27, 2017




Momma Says: 3 stars ⭐⭐⭐

An interesting take on the werewolf story. I did find that there was a bit too much emphasis on the car our main character drives and the songs flitting through his head, but there is plenty of action, and while I hesitate to call it romance, the story does have its erotic elements. The idea of the guardian and what it's all about is well thought out and explained in this promising start to the series.

-Momma😘

CHAPTER 1
Headstones & Crosses

          The windshield fogs slightly from the wet mist drizzling sadly from the low gray sky. Hoss is running sweet, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from a 1970 Mach One Ford Mustang. Aaron Lewis’s song “Country Boy” echoes in my head. A fitting song for driving on this long desolate Kansas highway. Forcing me to reflect on the purpose of this drive.
 Having traveled this highway my entire life, today, for the first time, I realize just how lonely of a road it is. Nothing out here but a few farms dotting the rolling flat landscape exaggerating the emptiness leading to the Melbourne Cemetery. Pressing me to experience the loss and constant visions of Sara, again and again.
 So far into my head, the periodic sway from the wipers screeching on the windshield startle me. I probably wouldn't be as miserable had I made the funeral, but circumstances dictated. I wanted to be there, I needed to be there, I should have been there, after all, Sara was my daughter. After her mom died, I did the best I could with what I had. She was the one thing that gave me hope at a time in my life when things seemed dismal and bleak. A beautiful girl growing into a young lady full of promise, and energy only youth can give. 
So many things had taken place these last several weeks. Honestly, this is the first opportunity I’ve had to say goodbye. Even now, I can’t stay long.
 I park the mustang, walk to the graves and see the big sky meet the horizon giving grace to the air and a sense of peace, a feeling and appearance of home.
Aunt Jenny took charge of the arrangements as she’d promised. Her gentle controlling touch shows in the majestic white marble headstone placed next to Sara’s mother’s grave, almost matching in every way but size. Sara’s stone marker, being the child, is slightly smaller. The graves look over fertile soil that our ancestors had bought and paid for with money, sweat and blood.
An unforgiving drizzle moistens my face with the chill of winter killing the sense of peacefulness reminding me of the recent past, and the guilt pushes me to find the one responsible.
 Sara didn’t know the truth in her death; I’m trying to understand the truth in her mother’s death that led to hers. Somehow related yet so far apart, nothing is as it appears, yet stares at you as I blindly believe in the falsehood of control. The beasts that they may be, be that which I have become.
  Walking back to the Mustang, not wanting to leave, knowing I must seek closure. I take one good look around, not knowing when I’ll return, I slide into the seat of the car.     
 The Mustang’s speakers blare “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals, I turn back onto the lonely road that led me here. 
 Heading back to what I now call home, replaying the recent past, analyzing the memories. Could I have done anything different? Anything that would have changed these tragic events?
 The overwhelming memory transforms the cool nineteen-seventy Ford Mustang into the brand new four-wheel drive Ford Diesel Truck I had bought just several months prior. The weather turns from cold, gray and misty to bright and sunny as I remember the day this all started.

Nollen Bradley is a pen name for Bradley Noll an American author residing near Leavenworth Kansas. The married, father of two grown children is new to the published author scene even though he has been writing song lyrics, poems and short stories all of his life.

Brad grew up on a farm outside of Winchester Kansas learning the value of hard work. Following college, Brad spent twelve years as a Paramedic until his second back surgery ending his successful career where he received several letters of commendation.
Brad spent time farming in his off days feeling the everyday pressures of the weather, markets and juggling the debt that is associated with large business. All the while, continuing to write songs and preform at local venues. Following a music CD he produced named “Make Believe” with eleven of his original songs and while in the process of producing his second Album he realized his talent was more suited for writing then music.
 One day it snapped and with Brad’s influences like Merle Haggard, Chris Kristofferson, Hank Jr., Metallica and most of all “The Man in Black” Johnny Cash. Brad’s mentors show as in the words from the poem 'Looking Down'
I pulled my cowboy hat down low, Drank down my last swallow,
Of Kentucky Bourbon and coke,
As the World was spinning round, I knew I have to slow it down,
Cause I’m going nowhere fast, staring at the bottom of this glass…” Nollen Bradley 2010
     
 Embracing the concept to ask the question “Why so many lose and so few win?” Rooting for the underdog’s the longshot’s just like himself. The ones that are not supposed to make it but push and fight with everything they have and despite the odds, they still try.
Don’t let the rough exterior fool you, for inside Brad is the heart of a poet. Sometimes a tortured soul haunted by memories or questions. A helpless romantic as seen in the poem 'When We Flew'
“…Guess now, I can look back to then, How I can’t help but smile,
Through these tears that hide the pain, I think of you…  every memory remains,
But, when we flew Girl we were something to see,
Higher than one life could ever be,
we flew so high we no longer believed… so we lost those dreams,
It saddens me, until I think about, when we flew Girl, cause we were something to see…” Nollen Bradley 2011
Brad takes the experience from the sweat stinging his eyes from the heat on a hot July day in Kansas. The heartache from having to tell a parent or a child that their loved one has died and there was nothing he could do, to the struggles of trying to pursue a dream and watching it crumble in front of him. Brad has developed a style that draws on real life experiences to provide exciting yet believable story lines that captivate readers. Writing unbelievable tales with the realism of the struggles from everyday life in the painful cookie cutter suburban age.




Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!




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